And Then There was Light
by Kiife
Summary: Gaara thought he could never escape from the darkness. Is it possible for light to come into a world of monsters and shadows? GaaraXHinata
1. Prologue

**Hello! Oookay, so I know I said I'd start updating more…and that I haven't. My excuse? Biology SUCKS, and my computer is a dork. SO, anyway, I thought I'd try to write a GaaraXHinata, because I think that they are amazing together. So yeah, here it is. :3 This is the prologue…so, sorry it's a little short.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, if I did, well my computer wouldn't be so crappy.**

_**And Then There was Light**_

_Gaara POV_

A flash of red.

Blood red.

As though the very light in front of me were bleeding.

I screamed.

It was a terrible noise, full of pain, yes, but worse yet. The voice wasn't mine. It was that of a monster. A terrible, horrible monster. A sob worked its way into my throat and I swallowed.

Every image in front of me flashed, rapidly moving in and out of my vision.

I was vaguely aware that I was running.

Sprinting.

It was purely instinctual, no conscious will on my part kept me going. It was fear. Fear of the darkness.

I didn't want to be pulled back into it. Back into that blackness that held no hope. And yet, I knew there was no choice. I was a demon. A monster. I was horrible. There was no way out for a person like me.

And so I ran, without thought, without rhyme or reason. I ran, simply ran. My legs were exhausted, and yet, I still moved forward. Because if I stopped, there really was no hope.

I knew in my head, this wouldn't help. That running away wasn't an option, and doing so physically certainly wouldn't help. Yet, still I ran. Ran fast, so maybe I would be okay.

Maybe, when all was said and done, I would finally be okay.

But your body can only take so much, and soon, I collapsed from exhaustion.

I could hear nothing but panting.

My panting.

I could see nothing, my vision was too blurred, but I didn't know why.

My cheeks were wet, but I didn't know why.

I couldn't peace anything together, my mind was jumbled in mixed up words and emotion.

My body was numb, but I didn't know if that was because I was lying in the cold snow, or because I'd been running for what seemed like an eternity.

Eventually, the exhaustion got the best of me, and my body pulled my conscious toward the black abyss of the unconscious.

The unknown.

One fleeting thought flashed through my head before I fell deep into slumber, and that gave me hope.

_From the darkness, there must come a light._

**REVIEW!!! Please :3 So commands the guinea pig lord.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello again, my friends! So yeah…An update…whoop! Alright…so, **

**1. in case you were wondering, I did not forget that Gaara can't sleep. I started writing this as a random story and figured it would kinda fit for Gaara. And then forget to change the part where he goes unconscious…yeah…anyway, I found a way to fix it without a re-write (thanks to my laziness), if it's confusing, just say so, and I'll try to clarify a little more. **

**2. I'm sorry if the characters end up a little OOC. **

**3. the story takes place after the chuunin exams, but before the Akatsuki came and took his demon out…so, he still has Shukaku (refer to 1.) **

**K, so, though this might not make any sense, the inspiration for this chapter was "Sugar Cane" by Missy Higgins. Love that song…:3**

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I still do not own Naruto. I also do not own a bowl of Fruit Loops. Both I want.**

_**And Then There was Light**_

Snow crunched under Hinata's feet in a steady rhythm. _Crunch, crunch, crunch._ She laughed slightly, not because there was anything particularly funny about the situation, but rather because the snow made her happy.

Even if she was lost.

And cold.

And hungry.

As if in confirmation, she shivered, and her stomach growled. She sighed, but the sigh couldn't keep a small smile off her lips. She loved the snow. Her cheeks were slightly rosy, not in a blush, but rather in reaction to the cold. She pulled her scarf closer to her face and shivered again.

Which was when she saw it. Or, well, rather _him_.

Hinata jumped back and let out a small squeak of surprise. He didn't move.

She stared at the half-naked boy lying face-down in the snow. _Is he dead?_ She wondered worriedly. She rushed over to him and lightly touched his bare shoulder. It was cold, yes, but not cold enough to signify death.

So, he was alive. She sighed in relief, then jumped back, because he moved. Very quickly.

The boy sat up, staring at the small girl—who was currently lying in a pile of snow because of how fast she had jumped back—that had touched him, vaguely aware his sand hadn't reacted to it.

So she hadn't meant harm.

They stared at each other for a while. Hinata had momentarily forgotten his name…but he looked familiar. That striking red hair…those piercing pale eyes…

_Gaara no Sabuko._

She vaguely recalled the fact that allies from Suna were staying in Konoha. Something about healing old wounds and the Chuunin exams.

Funny how the cause of those wounds was supposed to be healing them.

But, he didn't look dangerous. His eyes were slightly scary, but Hinata wasn't too uncomfortable. Just the same as when she was sitting in front of another person. She'd never been too good with socializing. Which was when Gaara said three words.

"He took over."

Those three simple words confused Hinata. And then she realized something. _Gaara-kun can't sleep…_

"I did not want to come back to my senses."

She realized then what had happened…_Shukaku had taken over…_

"Y-you could kill yourself, l-lying in the snow like that," Hinata whispered meekly, subdued, her gaze cast downward. The change in subject took the young boy by surprise.

_Why wasn't she running?_

Gaara paused. "Are you afraid?"

Hinata looked up, staring into Gaara's face. Her eyes held new determination. "No." She moved slightly closer to the boy.

"Liar."

Hinata paused, unsure for a second, then replied, "…why would you ask, if—if you thought you already knew the answer?"

He was silent.

"A-and why do you think you kn-know what's in—in my heart?"

Gaara stared at her for a while. Neither spoke.

"Why would you not be afraid?" Gaara asked finally. "When I am a demon."

Hinata looked at him, unaware as to where this courage came from. This courage to speak her mind. "B-because you yourself are n-not a demon," she replied thinking of Naruto. "Sh-shukaku is inside o-of you, b-but he is not y-you."

"That is an interesting thought," he replied. "But I believe you are mistaken."

Gaara did not give reason to his words.

He stood without a word. "What is your name?"

"H-Hyuuga Hinata."

He remembered her from the exams.

"Goodbye, Hyuuga-san." He said. Then, in a swirl of sand, he was gone.

And once again, Hinata was lost, cold and hungry.

And now it was getting dark. Fabulous.

**:3**

Hinata eventually made it home (whether or not this was due to Neji being sent out to find you, well, you can decide that for yourself (hint: probably)) but her father made her go without dinner. Because she was late.

So she snuck into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich when he was asleep.

Hinata had learned that sometimes, just sometimes, it was okay to defy your leader.

In secret…

When no one was around…

And you were really hungry and just wanted a sandwich.

Anyway, after she ate she brushed her teeth and went to bed. Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching her while she was doing these things. Someone who had been intrigued by her earlier that very day.

Yes, Gaara was watching the young girl. His face held no emotion, his body did not move. He simply observed her very strange Hyuuga ways. Her face was like a dolls…so pale, so light…

She was like a candle, lighting up everything around her, even if she didn't realize it.

He, in contrast, was like darkness itself. Spreading gloom and fear to the world. The thing no one understood, and no one wanted to understand. He shivered. Not because of the cold, but rather, because of reality.

Because of what he was.

A monster.

_Yessss, a monster_, Shukaku cackled. _A monster spreading fear to the world. How wonderful, how magnificent!_ He laughed, a terrible noise inside Gaara's head.

_Not tonight_. The thought resounded through the boys head, fighting the demon inside. _I wish to keep my sense tonight._

He didn't want to run again, he didn't want to tire again; he didn't want to be knocked into that darkness while Shukaku took charge of his body. Not that night. Not while he was in the presence of light.

The demon's voice weakened slightly, although the insane laughter continued, and Gaara was forced to fight the urge to kill throughout the night.

It was nothing he wasn't used to.


End file.
